Holcim reopens Calaca cement plant

MANILA, Philippines - Cement maker Holcim Philippines Inc. has reopened its facility in Calaca, Batangas to take advantage of an anticipated surge in demand for new buildings and infrastructure in Metro Luzon.

In a briefing yesterday, Holcim senior vice-president for commercial Ed Sahagun said the company spent about P63 million to revive the terminal and install modern operating systems and equipment such as filters to reduce dust emissions.

He pointed out that the Metro Luzon cement market, which includes the National Capital and Southern Tagalog regions, is poised to grow further this year, driven by both private and public construction spending.

“The Metro Luzon area is one of the growth centers of the country. The highways and urban centers being built in this area are proofs of its economic potential and dynamism. We have opened the Calaca facility to ensure the availability of our products to support these projects,” Sahagun said.

Latest data from the National Statistics Office showed that Region IV-A and NCR recorded the highest number of new construction projects, and accounted for 40 percent of total construction activity nationwide as of the third quarter of 2010.

Construction spending in the two regions also accounted for 65.6 percent of total national construction expenditure during the quarter.

Sahagun said the recommissioned terminal will also allow for more efficient logistics operations compared to using Holcim’s Bulacan plant as a hub.

Aside from this, the facility is expected to provide additional tax revenues for the local government as well as direct and indirect employment to about a hundred beneficiaries.

With a workforce of over 1,600, Holcim operates four plants in La Union, Bulacan, Misamis Oriental and Davao. It produces four cement products: Holcim Excel, Holcim WallRight, Holcim Premium Bulk and Holcim 4X which are sold in bags, tonner bags and in bulk.

Parent firm Holcim Ltd. of Switzerland is one of the world’s leading suppliers of cement and aggregates (crushed stone, gravel and sand) as well as downstream activities such as ready-mix concrete and asphalt. The group holds majority and minority interests in more than 70 countries on all continents.